Methods for operating motor vehicles, as well as control devices and computer program products for motor vehicles, are available. The driver of the motor vehicle is identified in order to check whether the driver is authorized to drive the motor vehicle. The simplest conventional form of the identification of the driver is to check whether the driver has an ignition key that fits the motor vehicle. In addition, or alternatively, the identity of the driver can be checked using biometric measurements, for example a fingerprint or facial features of the driver. The inputting of a code can also be used to identify the driver. If the driver is successfully identified, then the motor vehicle can be started. In this way, unauthorized use of the motor vehicle is prevented.
In particular if facial features of the driver are used for identification, then measured characteristics of the driver can also be used to adapt comfort or safety devices of the motor vehicle to the size of the driver. For example, the seat can be adjusted taking into account bodily dimensions of the driver derived from the position of the face. The position of the head support can also be adapted to the size of the driver. Using conventional methods, control devices and/or computer program products, only passive safety devices of the motor vehicle are thus capable of being adapted to the driver. An improvement of the safety of the operation of the motor vehicle going beyond this is however not realized by the conventional methods, control devices, and/or computer program products.